Census place 1779293

Waukegan

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Waukegan city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Waukegan.

According to the 2025 estimate, Waukegan has a population of 87,940 and 3,625 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 225 covered Illinois places are: population density is 3,625/sq mi, above the comparison median of 2,707/sq mi; median home value is $190,900, below the comparison median of $274,000; and median household income is $71,919, below the comparison median of $90,282. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
3,625/sq mi
Above the comparison median of 2,707/sq mi
median home value
$190,900
Below the comparison median of $274,000
median household income
$71,919
Below the comparison median of $90,282

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Waukegan's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
87,940
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.3%
Population estimate
Density
3,625/sq mi
24.3 sq mi land area
Median age
35.5 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$71,919
Median home value
$190,900
Median gross rent
$1,205
Bachelor’s degree or higher
20.9%
Typical commute
26.1 min
Drive-alone commute
70.1%
Public transit commute
2.1%
Walked to work
0.9%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
49.8%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
49.1%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
63.6%
Unemployed residents 16+
4.3%
Working from home
7.6%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
90%
Homes built 2020+
0%
Households without a vehicle
8.4%
Households with children
33%
Residents with a disability
10.3%
Residents without insurance
16%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Lake County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
7
Snowstorm declarations
3
Severe Storm declarations
2
Flood declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: CHICAGO WAUKEGAN RGNL AP (4 mi from place center)
Average high
57.2°F
Average low
39.3°F
Annual rainfall
35.3"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in Waukegan.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Westland, MI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
82,333
Median home
$184,600

Kenosha, WI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
99,239
Median home
$225,200

Wyoming, MI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
78,588
Median home
$225,200

Keep exploring

Compare Waukegan with Westland